1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handle, and more particularly to a retractable handle for suitcases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical retractable handle for suitcases comprise a pair of telescopic tubes secured to the suitcase and extendible or retractable outward and inward of the suitcase, and a hand grip secured on top of the telescopic tubes for pulling the tubes inward and outward of the suitcase. The telescopic tubes normally include a tubular structure having a through hole formed within a solid and peripheral wall for receiving the latch devices that may be used to control the relatively sliding movement between the telescopic tubes. However, the through hole includes a tiny space or volume that the latch devices may not be easily engaged and assembled into the through holes of the tubular telescopic tubes.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional retractable handles for suitcases.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a retractable handle having a barrel having an open space for easily receiving and assembling the lock devices to the barrel.
The other objective of the present invention is to provide a retractable handle including a telescopic structure that may include two or more segments extendible and retractable relative to each other.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a retractable handle for a suitcase, the retractable handle comprising a pair of ducts for securing to the suitcase, a pair of barrels secured in the ducts respectively, the barrels each including a bore formed therein, and a cut-off portion formed therein and communicating with the bore of the barrel for forming a pair of opposite fences thereon, a pair of tubes slidably received in the bores of the barrels respectively, and each including an upper end and a lower end, and each including a longitudinal direction, and a lock device including a housing attached to the lower end of a first of the tubes, the housing including a pair of longitudinal depressions formed therein for slidably receiving the fences of the barrel and for guiding the housing of the lock device to move up and down along the barrel, and the lock device including engaging means for selectively engaging with the barrel to secure the tube to the barrel. The longitudinal depressions of the housing may be used for stably receiving the fences of the barrel, for solidly and stably guiding the housing of the lock device to move or to slide along the fences of the barrel, and thus for solidly and stably guiding the tube to move or to slide along the barrel.
The barrel includes a rack secured therein and provided between the fences, the engaging means includes a gear secured in the housing and engaged with the rack for controlling a movement of the lock device relative to the tube.
The housing includes a chamber formed therein for receiving the gear, and a device is further provided for securing the gear to the housing and includes a bracket having at least one tooth for engaging with and for securing the gear to the housing. A spring may bias the tooth of the bracket to engage with the gear.
The bracket includes a first leg slidably received in the chamber of the housing and having the tooth provided thereon, and the bracket includes a second leg extended outward of the housing and slidably received in the lower end of the tube.
The bracket includes at least one link coupled between the first leg and the second leg of the bracket, and includes a gap formed between the fist leg and the second leg thereof, the housing includes a pair of tongues extended outward through the gap of the bracket, and a lid secured to the tongues and engaged with the bracket for securing the bracket to the housing.
A block is slidably received in the upper end of the first tube and coupled to the housing of the lock device for actuating the lock device, and movable in a moving direction parallel to or along the longitudinal direction of the tube, and includes an inclined surface formed therein, a hand grip includes a channel formed therein, and includes an end portion having a sleeve provided thereon, the sleeve is perpendicular to the hand grip and secured onto the upper end of the tube and parallel to the tube, and the sleeve includes a chamber formed therein and perpendicular to and communicating with the channel of the hand grip, a follower is slidably received in the channel of the hand grip, and movable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube and movable toward and away from the block, and includes a first end having an inclined surface formed therein for engaging with the inclined surface of the block, and for moving the block away from the sleeve and in a direction toward the lock device to actuate the lock device when the follower moves toward the block, and means for moving the follower toward the block to force the block to move along the tube and to actuate the lock device.
The moving means includes a bar slidably received in the hand grip and engaged with the follower for moving the follower to engage with the block.
The follower includes a second end having an inclined surface formed therein, the bar includes an inclined surface formed therein and engaged with the inclined surface of the second end of the follower for moving the follower toward and to engage with the block.
The hand grip includes an orifice formed therein, the bar includes a knob extendible outward through the orifice of the hand grip, for allowing the bar to be moved relative to the hand grip by depressing the knob. A spring may bias the knob of the bar outward of the hand grip.
A pair of conduits may further be provided and secured to the suitcase, the ducts are slidably received in the conduits respectively, and locking means for selectively locking the ducts to the conduits. The tubes are slidably received in the barrels and the ducts, such that the tubes and the ducts and the conduits may form a stable and a solid telescopic structure.
The locking means includes a second housing secured to a first of the ducts, a catch slidably received in the second housing, and means for biasing the catch to engage with a first of the conduit, and to selectively secure the first duct to the first conduit.
The first conduit includes at least one orifice formed therein, the second housing includes an aperture formed therein for selectively aligning with the orifice of the first conduit and for slidably receiving the catch, for allowing the catch to be engaged into the orifice of the first conduit.
The catch includes at least one projection extended therefrom, the locking means includes an actuator slidably engaged in the second housing and having at least one inclined surface formed therein for engaging with the projection of the catch and for moving the catch against the biasing means.
A spring biasing device may further be provided for biasing the actuator relative to the catch and to disengage the inclined surface of the actuator away from the projection of the catch.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.